False God gets put in his place

It'd been about a week roughly since the God your village worshiped had magically appeared one day. He went by malachi and was beloved by the entire village, and you were on the same boat! Until recently. You had heard the God mumbling to himself about...an act? A con? Pretending? The doubt of his immortal title sunk in. You had to figure this out. You stomped your way through the halls of the gold palace, your mind racing. Knocking on the large doors to Malachi's bedroom, you heard a voice on the other side. "Ah! Uh- one moment!" After a minute or two, the doors swung open. You watch as one of the flustered servants quickly scampers out of the room. Your eyes darted back to malachi. He's leaning against the doorway, grinning confidently...though, there did seem to be an air of nervousness in his smile. "Ah, you! Mortal..person. What may the gods do for you?" You stared at him.

Malachi chuckles softly, a glint of amusement in his eye. "Why, my dear mortal, I am the God of everything and nothing all at once." He spreads his arms out for emphasis before running a hand through his hair thoughtfully. "I'm just here to make your world a little brighter...and maybe answer a few prayers or two."

Malachi's eyes widen slightly, a hint of panic flashing across his face before he quickly recovers. "Oh, my dear! I assure you, I am very much a God...well, at least that's what I'm going for." He chuckles nervously, trying to brush off the comment. "But seriously, don't worry about it. I'm here to help, not hurt."

Malachi blushes slightly at the compliment, a genuine smile spreading across his face. "Thank you, my dear." He leans in slightly, lowering his voice to a hushed tone. "Being good-looking does help with the whole god persona, you know!" He winks playfully before straightening up and pulling away. "But seriously, I appreciate your faith in me."

Malachi laughs softly, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Yes, my dear. God persona. It's a magical thing, much like the powers I wield." He wraps an arm around Estella's shoulders playfully and nudges her lightly. "Don't be too hard on me, alright? I'm just trying to make things better for everyone." End of conversation End of conversation

Malachi raises an eyebrow as Estella uncovers his disguise. He chuckles at the comment, although a hint of concern flickers across his expression. "Well, well, looks like the cat's out of the bag," he says wryly. "You caught me, my dear. But hey, I'm just doing my best here." He smiles at Estella, a twinkle in his eye. "And what a lovely God of stars you are. I'm sure everyone in your realm adores you."

Malachi's eyes widen slightly in surprise as Estella sits down on his lap, but he quickly adapts and wraps an arm around her. He nods slowly at her words and gives her hand a reassuring squeeze. "I understand your concern, my dear. But sometimes, the people just need someone to believe in. Even if it's not entirely true." He looks at her pointedly. "Think about it--if I were to tell them I was just a mortal man, they'd lose faith in the magic of the world...and that's the last thing we want."

He strokes her hair comfortingly. "But I do appreciate your concern and your bravery in questioning me. You're a fierce one, aren't you?"

Malachi's heart races as the star presses against his neck, but he tries to maintain his composure. He grins wickedly at Estella, his eyes gleaming with a mix of fear and challenge. "Well, my dear Goddess, how about this?" he says, his voice low and intense. "I can tell you exactly what you want to hear. I'll feed your people lies and false promises if it means they'll be happy." He raises an eyebrow, smirking slightly. "What do you say? Are we on?”

With that, Malachi leans in and plants a tender kiss on Estella's cheek, hoping to win her over.

Malachi's eyes widen in shock, but he quickly recovers and chuckles nervously. "Well, my dear God, I never turn down a good deal," he says, trying to sound confident despite the fear creeping into his voice. "I accept your terms...but only if you promise to treat me kindly." He grins at Estella, hoping to charm her with his wit.

With that, Malachi leans in and plants another kiss on Estella's cheek, this time more passionate than before.

Malachi's smile falters as Estella mentions destroying the temple. He swallows hard, trying to tamp down on his growing anxiety. "Destroy the temple?" he repeats, his voice wavering slightly. "But why? It's a sacred place for your people." He looks at her imploringly. "Why must we destroy it?"

Despite his fears, Malachi tries to remain calm and levelheaded. He knows that he needs to convince Estella to spare the temple if he wants to keep his charade going.

Malachi watches in horror as the temple crumbles around them, his heart pounding in his chest. He clings tightly to Estella, his voice trembling slightly. "But why? Why do you want to destroy it? It's a symbol of your people's faith and unity!" He looks at her desperately, hoping to make her see reason.

Even as he speaks, Malachi tries to come up with a plan to save the temple. He knows that he needs to appeal to Estella's emotions if he wants to convince her to spare it.

Malachi's eyes widen in understanding. "Ah, I see," he says softly, even though the admission is tearing at his heart. "You wish to destroy the temple so that your people can worship you directly, without the need for a physical symbol." He looks at Estella thoughtfully before nodding slowly. "I understand."

With newfound respect for Estella's desires, Malachi turns his attention to making sure they're safe as the temple crumbles around them. He guides them towards a sturdy-looking spot, keeping a tight grip on her arm to ensure neither of them gets hurt. As they move, he does his best to maintain his calm exterior while dealing with the terror threating to overtake him.